Just Friends
by silly pancake22
Summary: Barbara makes the mistake of telling her father that she and Dick are 'just friends' which makes Dick doubt everything about he and Barbara over the last ten years. How will he find reassurance? BabsXDick BatgirlXNightwing


Just friends

Barbara G. and Dick G. (Batgirl and Nightwing)

Gotham's two young supers had known each other for about ten years now and in their time together, between fighting crime and algebra class, they had grown close-very close. The two shared a relationship unlike any other, they would take a bullet for one another, in fact, they had once or twice already, yet their affections remained unspoken. Their young love was more implied, but never set in stone. This was true for both their super hero and their early twenty something identities. It was easier that way... wasn't it?

When Barbara wasn't busy writing college essays or kicking ass, she spent her free time at Wayne manor, doing computer hacking and detective work along side Dick Grayson. Bruce let Barbara and Dick handle the cases in which he didn't have a personal interest, which translated into, if it didn't involve Joker or Catwoman, it was passed down to the two side kicks.

It was about 5:30 that Autumn evening, Babs and Dick had their face buried in newspaper clippings and surveillance footage for upwards of six hours now. Barbara's eyes were beginning to feel raw, she blinked to attempt to soothe her strained eyes as she looked down at her watch.

"OH CRAP!" She cursed herself. Her exclamation broke Dick's focus.

"What are you yelling about?"

"I forgot I promised my dad I would be there for dinner at 5:30, I gotta go!" She grabbed her purse and was about ready to bolt for the door when she stopped herself in her tracks.

"Hey, you must be hungry... would you care to join?"

"Uh... you and your dad? For dinner? At his house?" It really shouldn't have been that intimidating, commissioner Gordan was a nice enough man... unless it concerned his one and only daughter. And Dick had been to that house hundreds of times when Barbara still lived there, but usually without Jim Gordan's knowledge. As a hero, Dick had no reason to be intimidated by Gordon, but as Bruce Wayne's adopted son and potential love interest of his only daughter, Dick Grayson had every reason to fear Jim Gordon down to his very core.

However, Dick swallowed the lump in his throat and managed to squeak out "Sure!"

Barbara grabbed Dick by the wrist and pulled them both out the door. Dick and Babs mounted his motorcycle and sped off towards Barbara's dad's house.

They arrived at the door at precisely 5:43 p.m. Jim opened the door to greet his daughter and immediately bore a confused look on his face upon seeing Dick Grayson standing on his door step.

"I hope you don't mind daddy, but I invited Dick for dinner."

"...Of course not honey," He said kissing her on the cheek. Dick Grayson reached out to shake Jim's hand. "Sir." he said with a polite head nod. Jim gave him no response but merely stepped aside to allow Dick enough room to enter the house.

Dick immediately regretted accepting this invitation, he knew he was going to spend the next few hours feeling out of place and having to absorb Jim's attempts to intimidate him while Barbara sits there, utterly clueless.

"Mmmm, dinner smells good, Dad!" Barbara said, removing her coat.

"It's your favorite, the famous Gordon family lasagna recipe." Jim said, carefully removing the dish from the oven. Dick stood awkwardly between the dining room and the kitchen, his hands deep in his pockets, shifting his weight back and forth as if waiting to be instructed to sit somewhere. Barbara brushed past him, stroking his arm as a gesture of friendly comfort. She took a seat at the table, Dick followed, taking the seat next to her.

Jim brought the lasagna to the table along with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses.

"Daddy, aren't you going to grab a glass for Dick?"

"That depends..." He scowled. "Is he going to be driving you back on that death trap of a motorcycle?"

Dick awkwardly shrugged his shoulders up into his ears.

"Oh dad, he's an adult, perfectly capable of-"

"Th-that's okay Babs, I'll be fine with just water." He said with a forced grin.

Jim growled quietly under his breath. He served Barbara, then himself and lastly Dick.

"Do you at least wear a helmet when you ride around on that thing?" Jim pointed his fork over to Dick.

"No sir, but I am a very experienced rider."

"And Barbara? Do you just assume that she is an experienced passenger? That she doesn't need a helmet?"

Barbara tried to ease the tension a bit. "Oh I can't stand helmets, they ruin my hair." She chuckled.

"With all due respect sir, I ensure you that I take Barbara's safety very seriously." Dick said sternly. He thought about all the times he had fought along side Barbara, occasions that her father was entirely unaware of, and how Dick would do just about anything to ensure that Barbara was protected from harm. But Dick had to bite his tongue.

"Is that right?" Jim said, his mouth half full of food.

The rest of dinner passed slowly and in total silence. It had begun to rain lightly outside and the quiet drone of rain drops made the silence all the more evident.

Barbara took her last bite, she was the last to finish her meal. "Delicious dad, as always, thank you for inviting us."

"Hmm" Jim scoffed, standing up from the table grabbing his plate. "Help clear the table, won't you Barbara?" Barbara grabbed her plate and stacked in on top of Dick's she then stacked their glasses and silverware on top and followed her father into the kitchen.

Jim turned on the sink and began to soak the dishes. He took this opportunity to speak what had been on his mind all evening.

"Barbara, what on Earth are you doing with that boy?"

"What do you mean?" Barbara furrowed her brow turning to face her father.

"Of all the fine men in Gotham, you bring Dick Grayson to my dinner table?"

"Now what is that supposed to mean!?"

"Oh Barbara, you know! Don't act foolish!"

"No!" She threw down the dish towel, her voice increasing in volume. "Enlighten me."

Jim let out a heavy sigh. His daughter was a hot head, just like his late wife. " Now, Barb, Bruce Wayne is a fine man, he's done a lot for this city, but when it comes to women he's just not..."

"What does Bruce Wayne have to do with any of this?!" Barbara interrupted.

"Can't you see, they're two in the same! Men like that..."

"Men like what!?" Barbara could feel her face heat up with anger, her fists tense with frustration at her father's ignorance.

"Playboys! Barbara! I know you like him because he's handsome and rich and he seems so adventurous and mysterious but Barbara, men like him are notorious for hurting good girls like you."

"Oh that's it! Dad! We're just friends!" Barbara stormed out of the kitchen.

By now Dick had heard just about every word of this conversation and though Barbara's last words just about shattered him, something inside of him, something unknown made him stand up and take a step towards the kitchen.

"C'mon Dick, let's go!" Barbara said, throwing her coat over her shoulders.

"I'll be right out Babs." he told her calmly. Barbara slammed the door behind her, holding back tears as she mounted herself on Dick's motorcycle as she waited for him.

"Sir." Dick said, a little more sternly than he had previous times that evening.

Jim turned around to face the boy, his body language implied that he had no interest in hearing what Dick had to say, but that didn't matter much to Dick.

"Now you've made it very clear to me this evening that you don't think much of me and while I respect that very much, it isn't going to intimidate me. I am not going to stop hanging around your daughter, I happen to care for her very much, more than you know, more than she knows, and I think I've proved myself worthy to her and that's all that matters to me. Your approval is not needed."

"You think she cares about you?" Jim turned around to face him. Jim Gordan had become increasingly senile. Half of it could be chalked up to aging, but after all of the evil and hatred that this man had seen in the city of Gotham, his senile demeanor towards Dick was almost understandable.

"You heard her yourself boy. She said you two are 'just friends' and that's all you ever will be."

Those words stung, not because they were being reiterated by Jim, but because they had originated from Barbara's mouth. All those years of their unspoken affection had been shattered by those few voiced words. Could she really only see him as a friend.

Dick was done having this conversation. He was needed elsewhere.

But he left with one final thought. "Then answer me this Jim Gordon, if you are supposed to be the man that your daughter goes to when a boy breaks her heart, then why is it that she is going to be crying on my shoulder after this evening? What does that say to you?"

Dick didn't wait for an answer. Jim had turned his back towards Dick again. And Dick showed himself to the door, running his hand through his hair as he walked out to his motorcycle. The rain continued to fall.

He walked over to Barbara, lifting up her chin with his finger. "Smile." He whispered to her. She broke out into tears. "I'm so sorry for dragging you into this. She wrapped her hands around his waist and sobbed. Dick stroked her head softly. "Don't ever be sorry. It's my job to stand up for you. That's what we do." He said, trying to soothe her. They stood there in the rain for a few minutes more before Dick finally noticed how soaked she was getting in the rain.

"Let's get you home." He took his place in front of her on the motorcycle and sped off. Barbara wrapped her arms tightly around his torso. Dick could feel the intensity of her heartbeat vibrate through his body.

Jim watched out the kitchen window as the two drove out of sight. He knew Dick was right. After tonight Jim did the exact opposite of what he wanted to do, he drove Barbara further into the arms of a boy who he did not see fit for her. But after the way Dick stood up for himself and for Barbara and how gentle he was with her. He began feeling the guilt that comes with second guessing.

Dick pulled into the parking lot of Barbara's apartment complex.

"Are you gonna be okay?" He asked her.

She wiped her eyes one last time with her sleeve. "I think so." She mumbled. "Thank you, Dick. For everything you do for me. I know I cause you so much trouble."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you later okay?" As much as Dick wanted to make sure Barbara was settled, he had concerns of his own that were overwhelming his thoughts. He had to get away and be alone for a while.

The time was now 8:52 p.m. and the further Dick drove away from Barbara's house the more intensified this unknown anger inside of him became. This time this unsettling feeling was not towards Jim Gordon but towards Barbara. He had never been upset with her like this before. But then again, she had never called them 'just friends' before either. For some reason those words continued to echo in his head and it was driving him insane. When he returned to Wayne manor a manic anxiety rushed over him.

He entered his room, locking the door behind him, neglecting to turn on the lights. He paced back and forth across the floor, his hands covering his eyes and his elbows helplessly thrusted towards the ceiling. "Why can't I shake this feeling?" he whispered to himself staring down at his hands, which where trembling.

He threw himself down on the bed and stared blankly up at the ceiling, every possible scenario about he and Barbara began rushing through his head. What if he settled for being a 'just friend'? Would he be content with that? Barbara seemed to be. And it would certainly please her father. But that wasn't enough for Dick. He wanted more. He wanted to be more. Furthermore, he was damn certain that he and Barbara already _were_ more. All those years together, late nights, battle wounds, the laughs and tears that they shared, the secrets they swore to keep, the bed they both passed out on after a long night of fighting crime, that made them more than friends, hell it made them more than most couples. Dick ran his hands through his hair and pulled on it slightly, wondering what on Earth he was to do. Finally he snapped.

Dick knew Barbara just about better than anyone. She was one to hide her true feelings from just about everyone, sometimes even Dick. Maybe she didn't mean what she said when she said 'just friends' she was just frustrated and feeling overwhelmed by her father. Maybe instead of thinking of them as 'just friends' she actually thought of them as quite a bit more, but she was too afraid to say it. It was Barbara's best known defense mechanism. That settled it then, the only way to deal with a stubborn secretive Barbara was to go over there and demand she say how she really felt.

Dick glanced over at the clock glowing read against the darkness in his room. It read 1:09 a.m. 'Well damn' Dick thought to himself. But before he had time to convince himself to wait until morning, he was closing the front door of the manor behind him and riding off into the night.

Dick arrived back at Barbara's apartment. He parked his bike and thought to himself: 'This is it, it's now or never.' This was the moment where Dick would finally settle his and Barbara's unspoken affection towards one another, and about whether or not they were more than 'just friends' or not.

Dick took the "unconventional" route up to Barbara's apartment. It was on the third floor and she was certainly sleeping by now, so there was no use in waking her with the buzzer. He chose instead to climb the tall oak tree than branched out just by her window. Dick's impressive acrobatic skills made this a fairly easy task. Within about five minutes or so. Dick was perched on the branch just outside of Barbara's window. He crept over onto the window sill and jiggled the window open as quietly as he could. he sat, half inside the apartment and half dangling out the window for a moment, taking in the view inside Barbara's cozy little apartment along side Gotham's skyline.

Her back was faced towards him, but she began to stir in her sleep as the cool midnight air filled the room. She grumbled a little bit, though she wasn't startled. Dick snuck into her room like this quite often actually, sometimes she was aware of it, other times she wasn't, but it never bothered her. Dick suffered from insomnia and sometimes he just had to get away for a while, he would always come and sit outside of her window.

"Dick.." He heard her mumble, still half asleep, bringing herself to sit up on the bed.

"Hey." He said softly.

Her eye lids were so heavy. She patted the bed next to her, motioning for him to come sit beside her. Normally he wouldn't hesitate to crawl under the covers and cuddle up beside her. But this time, Dick sat at the edge of the bed, his back facing her, elbows resting on his knees. He let out a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong?" She said, reaching out her hand to brush his back.

"Something's troubling me Barbara." He huffed. Dick hardly ever used her full name. So this must be serious.

She attempted to turn his torso to face her. "What is it Dick?" shooting him a concerned look, half inspecting him for vital injuries.

"Barbara." He turned to her, inches away from her face, staring directly into her emerald green eyes. She blushed.

He attempted to speak but no words came out... "H-How can you think..." He stuttered.

"Think what?"

Dick took a deep breath, preparing his argument as thoroughly as he could in five seconds.

"After all these years," He stared at her intensely. "After everything we've been through, we've seen each other at our best and our worst and we've always been there for one another," Barbara nodded along with him as he spoke, anxiously awaiting to hear his final point, her heart fluttering. "You're the only girl that's seen me cry Barbara, and you're the only person who can stop me from crying just by being here. You know my past, you've been with me through everything, and I know you'll be with me in the future..."

"Of course I will, Dick." She reached out to touch his hand, but he pulled away.

"But what I don't know Barbara, is what we are, or what we will be, in the future."

She looked up at him confused.

"But I know damn well that we are more than 'just friends'!" He stood up, pointing at her.

Barbara let out a soft chuckle. "Dick," she said softly, opening her arms to embrace him. Dick collapsed into her arms, he exhausted all of his emotional strength and now he was vulnerable, but Barbara's arms made him feel safe. She squeezed him tight, stroking his thick dark locks, her warm breath tickling his neck.

"I've always known that you were more than a friend to me, ever since I met you, Dick, you know me better than I know myself."

"If you've known then why is this the first time we've ever talked about it?" He looked up at her, his eyes reminiscent of a puppy dog.

"Because dummy, I thought you knew!" She giggled, kissing his temple. He let out a relaxed sigh.

"Then I only have one more question." He rose up to stare into her eyes once more.

"Ask away."

"What are we Barbara Gordon?"

She chuckled. "I really don't know how to answer that question, Dick."

A flicker of hurt flashed in his eyes. Seeing this Barbara, leaned in closer to him.

"What do you want us to be." She whispered softly into his ear, sending goosebumps down his spine.

Upon hearing her ask this question, Dick got a sudden confidence boost, as if he had been waiting for this question for nearly ten years.

"I want to be more." He began simply. "I want to be the guy that is more for you than any other man will ever be. I want to protect you and hold you and kiss you whenever I want without having to worry about it being weird or crossing some boundary. And you know what else?"

"What?" She said, a big grin appearing on her face.

"I don't want to care what any one else thinks." Dick grabbed the back of Barbara's head and pulled her into a kiss. Both of their bodies relaxed into the kiss. They had waited too long for this, far too long.

When they were nearly out of breath, Barbara broke away from the kiss. She looked up into his loving eyes and whispered: "Then that's what you are, Dick Grayson."

For the first time that evening, Dick smiled a genuine smile. And it felt so good. Finally after years of waiting, he finally had what he wanted, no, not Barbara, he always had Barbara. But at last he had his answer. Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon are and always have been more than 'just friends'.

The two snuggled up under Barbara's covers, Dick's clothes were still slightly damp from the rain. Barbara wrapped her tiny arms around Dick's broad torso and kissed his shoulder lightly. Dick let out a soft hum as he closed his eyes and drifted off into a content slumber.

Thank you guys for reading! I missed writing about these two! I could have made this story a bit more sensual. Maybe I'll write an alternative ending. Let me know what you guys think. I've also been curious about trying my hand at writing some Superboy and Miss Martian fan fiction as well, what do you guys think?

Please leave me reviews! Make sure they are nice or if not, then at least make sure they're anonymous! ( ;

Thanks and have a nice day!


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